Sinn Fein's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness, last night issued an invitation to the Conservative Party leader, Mr William Hague, to meet to discuss the Northern Ireland peace process.
Mr McGuinness told a Friends of Ireland fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth he would welcome the "opening of dialogue" with the Conservative leadership. He also said supporters of the Belfast Agreement must do their utmost to convince unionists this was the best chance for a peaceful society.